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Hitting the Road to Spread the Word about Cleaner, More Efficient Trucking

Hitting the Road to Spread the Word about Cleaner, More Efficient Trucking – Run on Less Exceeds MPG Expectations

Environmental stewardship is something we can all agree is important. At Frito-Lay, we believe it’s our responsibility to turn those words into actions, which is why we’re leading by example when it comes to our long-haul trucking fleet.

Frito-Lay and our parent company, PepsiCo, joined forces in September with other national companies to take part in the Run on Less cross-country roadshow to showcase advancements in fuel efficiency. Organized by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and the Carbon War Room (CWR), this first-of-its-kind event demonstrated different technologies that are dramatically improving fuel efficiency and cutting down on tailpipe emissions.

Frito-Lay has long been committed to making our trucking fleet more efficient and employing thoughtful driving practices that maximize fuel economy and safety. By participating in Run on Less, Frito-Lay hopes to inspire the industry to adopt these forward-thinking advancements.

Run on Less featured a variety of freight trucks equipped with various efficiency technologies, automated transmissions that maximize fuel economy, and aerodynamic designs that streamline the vehicles and reduce drag for further efficiency.

This demonstration was intended to show how today’s trucks are achieving nearly 9 miles per gallon, which is almost double the fuel efficiency of trucks from a decade ago. We’re pleased to announce our Frito-Lay driver contributed to the results of this year’s Run on Less that achieved more than that.

Seven drivers were able to attain a cumulative average of 10.1 miles per gallon, against the national average of 6.4 miles per gallon, which in turn saved 2,877 gallons of fuel.

To put that in perspective, the technologies available on the market today could ultimately save the North American trucking industry $24.3 billion and 9.7 billion gallons of fuel each year if all 1.7 million trucks in the U.S. and Canada utilized them.

Each of the tractor trailers that took part in this rolling demonstration was outfitted with tracking and monitoring equipment, which transmits real-time results of performance. Driver progress and carbon emissions saved were accessible live online.

For a business the size of Frito-Lay, trucking is a big part of how we get our snacks to market. With that in mind, we know we can make a real difference by creating a smarter, more efficient fleet of trucks driven by highly skilled professionals. We hope that by taking a lead in promoting these new fuel-efficient technologies and practices, we can encourage widespread adoption across the country. Together, we can do our part to do more with less.

Learn more about the results of this year’s Run on Less by viewing this recap video.